With the release of the latest update for No Man's Sky, we will finally be able to play this expansive, world exploring game in ou PlayStation VR headsets. If you have bought a PSVR, especially for No Man's Sky, or you haven't used it in a while, you may want to think about how your room is set up.
A lot of VR games want you to be stood up though most will let you play sat down as well. For a game like No Man's Sky, where you are likely to be playing the game for 3-4 hours at a time, sitting is going to be the best way to go. There are few ways to set your room up so you can be comfortable for long gaming sessions in VR.
A brave new VR world
With the new Beyond update bringing VR and multiplayer, there isn't a better time to get into No Man's Sky
The basics
Firstly, we are going to assume you haven't used a PlayStation VR before, or if you have, it was a long time ago. The first thing you need to do is make sure all the cables are set up correctly, and the PSVR is connected to your PS4. We have created a really easy guide to installing the PSVR that you can check out to help you get started.
Once you have got all the wires where they need to go, we need to think about the space in which are playing. As you are going to be seated for most of the game, you will need to make sure that there is space around you, especially to the sides and front, so when you are swinging your arms around you aren't in danger of hitting anything or anyone.
Happily, Sony has an excellent idea of where you should be situated in the play area. As you can see from the diagram above, Sony wants you to have room behind you as well as in front and to the sides. The 10 feet that they ask for is not always possible, and I can say from experience that if you are sat on a chair and you have a sofa behind you, you are going to be ok. You won't be spinning the chair in 360 degrees anyway, so don't worry if you have less room.
A good operating distance is to have your body between five and seven feet from the camera. This will generally allow your whole body to be visible to the camera, including your arms when outstretched. Your camera should be at around about eye level when you are sat down. When you first start a VR game, it will normally show you what you look like to the camera, so take note. The camera needs to be able to see the glowing ends of Move controllers at all times, so lean down and stretch up high. If you lose the glowing sphere, then adjust yourself accordingly.
Find your safe space
One of the most important things about playing PSVR is keeping you, and the objects around you, safe. You really don't want to be the person who smacks their significant other in the face with a controller. It doesn't end well. The GIF above is me, and yes I know, I look ridiculous, but I do this every time I play. If anything touches the controllers as I move, I move that object at least two feet away from me.
If you have young children or animals, I recommend setting up a stair gate or some sort of barrier to separate you from them. Leaving aside the implications of smacking your kid on the head, having something touch you while you are lost in VR is an unnerving experience to say least. You are, of course, welcome to share your arm waving GIFs with us at any time. I'd be happy not to be the only one.
Hide in the darkness
The dark is your friend in PSVR, or at the very least, stay away from direct sunlight. Your PS Camera has to be able to see the lights connected to you, or it just can't work, and bright lights interfere with that a lot. If you can, drop your blinds or pull your curtains during the day to remove bright contrast on your walls. And make sure you don't have your back to a window. The PS Camera works the same way your phone camera does, and having a bright light behind you will make you impossible to see.
There is a whole series of ways to get the best accuracy from your PSVR headset and Move controllers, including controlling your light and even changing the color of the light to better pick up the controllers. We have written a comprehensive list of helpful ways to tune your PSVR so that you can get the most out it. All of these things will help your No Man's Sky experience as well.
Keep things close
For those of you who haven't played much VR, you are going to get hot. Really hot. It's always a good idea to have a water bottle somewhere just out of arms reach to rehydrate, and if you can, have a small fan to help keep the air moving around your face. It's easy to get steamed up in VR, and a small fan will help alleviate that. Plus, it makes it feel like the air is rushing past you as you play, adding to the immersion.
I would also have a small hand towel with you as well to wipe down when you have a break. Even a microfiber cloth would be handy to clean the lenses. Playing VR for long periods of time needs preparation, so is if you do it right the first time, you can settle in and get that base built!
Conclusion
It isn't too difficult to set up space for you to play No Man's Sky, especially if you sit down to play. If possible, try to use an office chair so you can be comfortable sitting for long periods. Office chairs also swivel, which gives you a little more freedom of movement to look around and dodge those crazy aliens.
Let us know what you have done to set up your space for playing NMS, and don't forget to drop us those arm-waving GIFs!
Other PlayStation VR accessories you might like
PSVR Aim Controller ($60 at Amazon)
Take the immersion of compatible gun-related PSVR games to the next level. It's one thing to point a Move controller at an enemy from behind a VR headset, and it's another thing to point something that feels a little more real.
Skywin PSVR Charging Display Stand ($40 at Amazon)
The Skywin displays and organizes your PlayStation 4, processor box, headphones, and VR headset. It can also display and charge a set of Move controllers and two DualShock 4 controllers. By keeping your PlayStation 4 on this stand, you can also take advantage of the built-in cooling fans to help your console from overheating.
PlayStation Gold Wireless ($75 at Amazon)
These headphones support 7.1 surround sound, so you'll never miss a thing. They also have an internal noise-canceling microphone to make sure your friends can always clearly hear what you're saying when you play together. If you prefer a wired setup, these headphones rock a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you do have the ability to plug them in physically.
